


To Make You Happy

by missgaley, sathalia (missgaley)



Series: January 2016 Critmas Fics [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Love, Extended Scene, Family Angst, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Secrets, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst, New Relationiships, Other, Protective Siblings, Sibling Love, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2016-03-15
Packaged: 2018-05-26 22:30:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6258295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missgaley/pseuds/missgaley, https://archiveofourown.org/users/missgaley/pseuds/sathalia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vex wants her brother to be happy but she doesn't want to see him get hurt. Besides, change is always difficult to accept.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Make You Happy

_“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”  
_

— Mary Shelley,  _Frankenstein_

 

She sits by the fire, glad that this time it is contained indoors where the heat will remain rather than grappling against the winter’s chill outside. Trinket has taken up her bed—as promised, poor thing—and Vex is not sure that the floor suits her. For now, she saves herself the back pain by sitting cross-legged on a soft rug, staring absently into the fire. 

“Vex’ahlia?”

There is a visible jolt as she is pulled from her thoughts Vex’s eyes don’t meet those of her brother, even with his unexpected entrance. After all, despite all reassurances and heartfelt gift-giving, their previous exchange still stands. Thinking about it again makes Vex feel uneasy in her heart.

“You’re not in bed, brother?” she asks quietly, still focused on the flames rather than her twin’s face.

“I was but I…” He pauses. “Couldn’t sleep.”

“I thought you were tired,” she retorts half-heartedly. 

“Vex’ahlia…” 

And Vex knows that tone. It’s the one he uses when he knows more than he is letting on—just as she knows that there is more to him these days than he is telling her. She sighs, tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear, and beckons for him to sit if he wishes; he does. Maybe she’s the tired one, sitting here and dwelling on only a few lines of conversation like this.

“Vex’ahlia, you know I meant every word that I said to you earlier, right?” he asks cautiously, as if somewhat nervous to tread too closely around the subject. They bicker, of course, but they don’t often fight. And this, even after all that was said… it feels strangely like a fight. The rest of the group saw something transpire between them, something that should have felt like a truce. Instead, here’s his sister, still quiet and practically brooding. Vax doesn’t like the feeling it gives him. 

It takes a moment before his sister responds. 

“I know.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

Vex fiddles with some loose threads attached to the rug idly. What can she say? That she’s selfish; that she’s worried her brother is being taken from her? That he’ll no longer share all of his secrets, all of his dreams, and even all of his nightmares with her? Can’t she just say that of course she’s selfish because he is everything to her and these are the things that he used to tell her? No, she thinks; she can’t.

 _I will tell you just about everything… but I don’t think I want to talk about_ that _._  

His words still sting. It isn’t as if there are no secrets between them; he still doesn’t know about the poachers or how she really found Trinket. She shouldn’t feel this way—her brother deserves his space—but she can’t exactly recall a time that they’ve ever pushed one another away. Unfamiliar to her, Vex dislikes the feeling immensely.

“It’s nothing,” she decides after another short pause. If they are going to be keeping secrets after all, Vex muses internally, then she doesn’t want to talk about it.

Her brother, however, will clearly have none of it. He moves so that he can take her into his arms again, resting his chin on her head.

“You’re mad at me.”

Observant, Vex thinks sarcastically. But he’s right. She is a little mad, even if it’s not her place. She squirms in response, trying to free herself but Vax holds on tight.

“You are _not_ going to lose me. You know I would tell you almost anything. But sometimes things are too messy and complicated and… I don’t want you to have to bear that burden as well. Right now… with Keyleth… that’s my problem. I can handle it.”

“But―” 

Vax cuts her off quickly.

“You’ve always tried so hard to protect me. So I’m not going to talk about anything between Keyleth and I right now. After what everyone’s been through—after what _we’ve_ been through—you deserve a rest. You deserve to be happy and enjoy yourself. Stop worrying about me and just have some fun while this all lasts. You’re my sister but you’re still a little pest sometimes, you know that, right?”

Vex huffs loudly but doesn’t disagree. 

“Live your own life, Stubby; there’s more out there than just looking after me.”

They sit in silence for a moment, Vex finally relaxing in her brother’s embrace. It’s infuriating how often he’s right. He’s her silly, annoying, smelly, reckless only-slightly-older twin brother… and yet he’s always full of just the right words right when they’re needed.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” she replies. And she doesn’t mean physically; Vex has already witnessed his near-death and that was painful enough. She meant a different kind of hurt.

“I know. I don’t want to _be_ hurt either,” Vax says with a shrug. “Maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t. And if it does, I know you’ll be there for me.”

Vex bites her lip; it’s difficult to imagine herself finally sitting on the sidelines of her brother’s life. Well, she’s not—not really—but it’s a new sort of distance she’s unused to. But she understands. She had always known her brother would not be hers alone forever. Even so, after recent weeks and all that’s happened, she never expected to feel as if everything was changing all at once.

“I want you to be happy. And if this—” Vex gestures vaguely, as if trying to refer to his apparently secret romantic endeavours. “—makes you happy, then that’s what I want for you.”

“I know. I just didn’t realize you would feel so strongly about it all.”

“My mind works in mysterious ways sometimes, brother,” Vex teases and Vax merely snorts. But Vex finally sits up, looking at him straight in the eye. “It’s all different now.”

Vax pauses, never breaking their gaze, then nods.

“Yeah, it is. But not everything is going to change. You’re still always going to be ‘Stubby’ to me. And I’ll still be the only one allowed to call you that.”

Another beat.

“There are some things that even change cannot take away. My love for you is one of those things. But we’ve only ever had each other… and now that there’s someone else, I think that’s something I need to figure out for myself. But I’ll always know where to find you when I need you, Vex.”

Vex watches him silently as he pulls himself to his feet and eventually follows suit. She quickens her step to catch up with him and Vax responds merely by ruffling her hair, much to his sister’s chagrin. It’s in that moment that it becomes clear that nothing can come between them, whether it be as simple as a tussled braid or something far more life-altering like her brother’s new brush with romance. The air between them clears and suddenly even breathing doesn’t feel nearly as heavy for either of them. Now it feels much easier to smile. Catching on, Vax eventually changes the subject.

“I think it’s time for bed… for me at least. You have a floor to sleep on, don’t you?”

Vax can tell by a glint in her eye that his sister is about to try to persuade him and given her infamous haggling skills, he knows exactly what’s coming before she even opens her mouth.

“Can I take your bed since you made me mad?” she inquires with a small, innocent smile.

“Oh no. _You’re_ the one who banished yourself to the floor. I’m not sacrificing a good night’s rest for your bear, with or without that little pouty face you’re giving me right now.”

Vex sighs but rolls her eyes and gently shoves at Vax’s shoulder. Fair enough, she thinks, leaning into his arm as they walk together out of the room. Whatever was to come next didn’t matter; she could never stay mad at her brother for something that makes him happy.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally written as a part of a series I sent to Laura and Liam back in December. Turns out I never gave this one to the Critters as well! So here you are. The final part of the January 2016 Critmas series.


End file.
